Comedy drama
Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau dramedy,[1][2][3] is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and drama. In films, serious dramatic themes (such as death, illness, etc.) are dealt with realism and subtlety, while preserving a humorous tenor.[4] In television, modern scripted comedy dramas tend to have more humour integrated into the story than the comic relief common in drama series but usually contain a lower joke rate than sitcoms.
History
In the very influential Greek theatre, plays were considered comedies or tragedies. This concept even influenced Roman theatre and theatre of the Hellenistic period. Theatre of that era is thought to have long-lasting influence, even in modern narrative works.[5] Even today, works are often classified into two broad buckets, dramas and comedies. For instance, many awards that recognize achievements in film and television today, such as the Primetime Emmy Awards and the Golden Globe Awards segregate several award categories into these two classifications.
The 20th century saw a rise in film and television works that could be described as comedy-dramas. The term is a translation from the French "comédie dramatique". The portmanteau "dramedy" came to be in the 1980s.[3][6]
Characteristics
In January 2022, Rafael Abreu, writing for the StudioBinder filmmaking blog, defined this genre as follows:[7]
A dramedy is a movie or program that balances the elements of a drama and a comedy. Also known as a comedy drama, this hybrid genre often deals with real life situations, grounded characters, and believable situations. The ratio between the drama and comedy can vary, but most of the time there is an equal measure of both, with neither side dominating.
Abreu also adds that dramedies often deal with relatable and serious topics such as divorce, illness, hardship, and heartache.
Notable examples
Film
Examples of comedy dramas in American film include:
| Name | Release date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The Royal Tenenbaums | 2001 | |
| Punch-Drunk Love | 2002 | |
| Garden State | 2004 | |
| Little Miss Sunshine | 2006 | also considered a tragicomedy |
| Juno | 2007 | |
| A Serious Man | 2009 | |
| It's Such a Beautiful Day | 2012 | |
| The Grand Budapest Hotel | 2014 | |
| Everything Everywhere All at Once | 2022 | |
| White Noise | 2022 | |
| Asteroid City | 2023 |
Television
Examples of American television comedy dramas include:
| Name | Start date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| M*A*S*H | 1972 | |
| The Love Boat | 1977 | |
| Moonlighting | 1985 | |
| The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd | 1987 | [8] |
| Frank's Place | 1987 | [9] |
| Hooperman | 1987 | [6] |
| The Wonder Years | 1988 | |
| Doogie Howser, M.D. | 1989 | |
| Northern Exposure | 1990 | |
| Ally McBeal | 1997 | |
| Sex and the City | 1998 | |
| Scrubs | 2001 | |
| Desperate Housewives | 2004 | [10] |
| BoJack Horseman | 2014 | |
| You’re the Worst | 2014 | |
| Hazbin Hotel | 2024 |
See also
- List of comedy drama television series
- Black comedy
- Dramatic structure
- Melodrama
- Seriousness
- Tragicomedy
- Psychological drama
References
- ^ "Dramedy". Cambridge Dictionary. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- ^ "Dramedy". Oxford Dictionaries. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 26 September 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- ^ a b Cathcart, Olivia (1 July 2021). "Rethinking the Dramedy: What Is It, Anyway?". Paste. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ Del Greco, Fabio (2023). "Dramatic Comedy Films to Watch". Indiecinema. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
- ^ Cartwright, Mark (14 July 2016). "Ancient Greek Theatre". World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
- ^ a b Kelley, Bill (23 September 1987). "The Best And The Brightest Abc's Hooperman – The Hands-down Winner Of The Best New Show Of The Year – Introduces A New Format, dramedy, While Slap Maxwell Reintroduces Dabney Coleman". Sun Sentinel. Archived from the original on 24 September 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
- ^ Abreu, Rafael (9 January 2022). "Dramedy Explained — A Study of the Comedy Drama Genre". StudioBinder. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ Brinkmoeller, Tom (3 September 2010). "Classic "Molly Dodd" Series Remains Locked Up, Awaiting 'Bail'". TV Worth Watching. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
- ^ Hill, Michael (6 August 1989). "Bochco gives dramedy another go with 'Doogie Howser, M.D.'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
- ^ Weiner, Allison Hope (20 December 2004). "Is 'Desperate Housewives' a comedy?". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
Further reading
- Mather, Nigel (2006). Tears of laughter: Comedy-drama in 1990s British Cinema (1st ed.). Manchester, England: Manchester University Press. ISBN 978-0719070761.
- Ortega, Oscar (10 April 2024). "Drama Or Dramedy: Defining The Voice Of Socially Relevant Comedy". A Hot Set. A.N. Publishing.
